A Full Copy Of June 23rd’s Thursday Thoughts Can Be Found HERE

June 23, 2022

Dear Congregation:

Vacation Bible School, for many of us, was a highlight of our young years with the church.  Learning Bible stories and new songs, playing games, and having cool snacks made it a special week.  We also learned about giving because a part of every VBS program is a giving project that young people support.
The theme for VBS may change each year but remains constant is the commitment of adults and teenagers to come and help and accompany these children on this part of their faith journey.
If you popped into the Community Room this week or saw any of the photos on the church Facebook page, you would see six children and twice as many adults and teenagers in the room.   A first reaction might be, “Why does Kim Sexton need so many helpers.  Do we really need all those people for those six children?”  The answer is that Kim has nurtured our children’s ministries such that all of us are encouraged to join with our children and their families in their Christian nurture.  The church can never have too many adults involved with the supporting and nurturing faith in our young people. What a gift for the six children participating in VBS this week to have three teenagers and 10 adults share this time with them every morning this week.
Whether we have one child or ten children and more participating in the life of our church, our message is that each and every one of them counts. It is not about the numbers. It is about creating a beloved community for all ages.
Many thanks to Kim Sexton, for leading Bible school again this year and to all the adults and the teenagers who helped with games, crafts, music, and snacks and for reminding our children that they are always welcome, cherished, nurtured, and challenged to learn.

Available:
If you would like a New Century Hymnal for your home and personal use, there is a box of them available in the rear of the sanctuary.  They are a gift from Church of the Holy Trinity UCC.
Also available are books of recipes by local caterer Bea Toms as well as a book about her life. Copies are available on a table in the rear of the sanctuary.
If you wish, you can email Pastor Daniel – bkdaniel@erucc.org – if you would like her to set aside some books to be picked up in the office.
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel

Senior Pastor
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ
bkdaniel@erucc.org
15 W. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21702
301-662-2762

A Full Copy Of June 16th’s Thursday Thoughts Can Be Found HERE

June 16, 2022

Dear Congregation:
I invite you to use these words from Steve  Garnaas-Holmes as a meditation and prayer in preparation for worship this Sunday as we read the story if Elijah’s encounter with God in I Kings 19:1–4, (5–7), 8–15a.

God, your Spirit murmurs in our hearts, low and quiet.
Help us listen, beneath the noise of this world,
to hear the still, small voice of your presence, Amen.

Loving and gentle God, amid the shouts in the streets and the vices in our heads, we want to hear your still, calm voice. Speak to us, heal us with your Word, and call us to new life in the name of Christ. Amen.

God of truth, from you no secrets are hid. You hear what is on our minds; you know what is deep within us. As we wait in your presence now, speak to us– in scripture, in words, in silence, in song. May your whispering voice come to us and touch our hearts. Amen.

Gracious God, we long for your peace. Voices of power shout at us with words of fear. But in your silent, whispering voice you speak your peace to us. You calm our fears. You heal our wounds. You overcome our demons. Help us to listen in hope, to receive in trust, and to live in faith, by the power of your Spirit. Amen.
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel

Senior Pastor
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ
bkdaniel@erucc.org
15 W. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21702
301-662-2762

A Full Copy Of June 9th Thursday Thoughts Can Be Found HERE

Dear Congregation:
When we baptize a child into the life of the church, we as a congregation promise to nurture them in faith. I hold the child and walk through the congregation, introducing you to this newly baptized child and reminding us of all of the promises we have made. I invite us to imagine that child in our Sunday School classes, choirs, and youth group.
On May 24, at our youth-led worship service, we witnessed firsthand the impact we can have on their lives. I was so proud of their confidence as they led the liturgy and shared their thoughts and aspirations on a variety of topics.
One of these youths was Trevor Weakly, who is graduating high school and heading to college in the fall. Trevor spoke about how ERUCC helped him to understand the concept of peace—and how to achieve a more peaceful life. When I imagine the impact the church can have on our young people, this is exactly the kind of thing I hope for. Here’s what Trevor shared:
My time at ERUCC has really helped me focus on what peace is and how to spread it. From my days in Sunday school with Mr. Jim, when we learned about Christianity and prepared for confirmation, to now, where I get to use the skills of peace that the church has taught me in everyday life. ERUCC has encouraged me and my friends to speak up in favor of peace, no matter what opposition we face. At the two UCC General Synods I have attended; the youth have been given a chance to speak in favor of a topic related to a resolution facing the church. We spoke out against the horrors of gun violence and the tragedies of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Even though we are “just kids”, our words must have had some impact, because the Synod had many thoughts about our words, and not all were supportive. Despite the backlash we faced, PD and other adults in the church defended us and encouraged us to always use our voices – ERUCC supports its youth advocating for peace.
            ERUCC has not only helped me discuss peace within the church bubble, but it has also ensured that I have the skills to speak up for peace in the real world. I have had the opportunity to attend rallies on our front steps speaking out against gun violence and attended the Black Lives Matter march in 2020 with my church friends. These protests showed me that there are people outside of ERUCC who also care about peace, and that the work done at the church has a wide impact.
            ERUCC has taught me methods of maintaining internal peace, such as prayer, and has prepared me to enter the world as an advocate for peace. As I head to college, I hope to work towards resolving international conflict as part of my career, and the skills I have learned from my friends and from adults at ERUCC will help me speak up and promote the word Jesus who reminds us, “do not let your hearts be troubled.” Even as Jesus faced crucifixion, he reminded his disciples that peace is key.

Another Note:   I will be on vacation June 3-18.  During this time, please contact Tyler York or Kim Sexton with any needs or concerns.

***Please join us in welcoming back from Germany, Carmen Horth, who will be in worship this Sunday with her husband, Max.  Carmen served as a volunteer with the Religious Coalition from 2014-2015.
The Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel

Senior Pastor
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ
bkdaniel@erucc.org
15 W. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21702
301-662-2762

A Full Copy Of June 2nd Thursday Thoughts Can Be Found HERE

June 2, 2022

Dear Congregation:
Sunday morning worship is central to our life as a congregation as we come together to praise God, support one another, get strengthened for our life in the world. Yet, we know that our outreach is beyond those hours we share together.
As one looks around the sanctuary on a Sunday morning and sees who is sitting in the pews, one could make an assumption that we only have a few young people or young adults and that our church not reach persons of color.  Our youth and young adults attending worship are spread out throughout the pews on any given Sunday, many of them sitting in the balcony which does not appear on the cameras. We have youth that are engaged on Sunday nights and mission trips and other activities.  Our children and their families are also attending activities during the week.
When we built the Community Room, our hope was that it would become a space our community would embrace and use for meetings and celebrations.  That hope has become a reality as we provide an affordable and beautiful space for family celebrations.  If you have volunteered to provide hospitality for one of these events, you know that most of these celebrations are for families of color. Weddings, Quinceaneras, birthday parties, coming of age parties, sorority gatherings.  These families report being welcomed, and they are very appreciative of the churches willingness to learn about their traditions.
I invite you to consider volunteering at one of these events to experience just how far the outreach of our congregation goes.

The Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel

Senior Pastor
Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ
bkdaniel@erucc.org
15 W. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21702
301-662-2762